William Charles Wilson

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Fri, 20/11/2015 - 11:32

First Name:

William

Middle Name:

Charles

Last Name:

Wilson

Date Enlisted:

Sunday, June 13, 1915

Rank at Enlistment:

Private

Rank at Discharge:

Lance Corporal

Unit:

18th Battalion

Company:

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

1914/1915 Star

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Date of Death:

Wednesday, November 15, 1916

Place of Death:

France

Cause of Death:

Killed in action

Details:

William Wilson (Service No 2029) was born in Corrimal, N.S.W. around 1897.

When William enlisted at the age of 18, he was single, living at Wee Waa, N.S.W., worked as a tram cleaner, and had served for 3 years in the Senior Cadets.

William embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A54 Runic with 3rd Reinforcements, 19th Battalion on 9th August 1915. On 29th September 1915 he joined B Company, 18th Battalion at Gallipoli. On 13th October he was transferred to 2nd Division Headquarters and served with this Company on both Gallipoli and the Western Front.

In Egypt, after the Gallipoli evacuation, William was promoted to Lance Corporal (1st March 1916).

William arrived in France on 21st March 1916.

He was killed in action and is buried in Thistle Dump Cemetery, High Wood, Longueval, France; Row C, Grave 28.

A letter on National Archives of Australia (NAA) file from his nominated next of kin, Mr Charles Bailes, in answer to questions from the Army, stated that William was a Ward of the State, his parents were deceased and there were no known siblings.

Sources:

NAA: B2455, WILSON W C